


Somewhere Among the Romance Novels

by staycoolstaykind



Series: Every Day Magic [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Fluff, Love at First Sight, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 09:03:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19422814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staycoolstaykind/pseuds/staycoolstaykind
Summary: Johnny doesn't expect to meet the love of his life at the public library.





	Somewhere Among the Romance Novels

**Author's Note:**

> So I've realized that witch!Jaehyun is the love of my life. This is he and Johnny's meet cute, a companion piece to [No. 9](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19042423) though they definitely don't have to be read together. It's one-hundred percent self indulgent fluff, so you're all going to have cavities now. Enjoy!

Johnny can’t say what it is that catches his attention and triggers the whole series of events. One moment he’s standing in the middle of the downtown library, looking for something to read while he’s out of town on vacation, wandering aisle after aisle in search of something that catches his eye. The next, everything changes. There’s no particularly noteworthy noise, no sudden flurry of movement to pull his gaze from the book in his hand to the man walking past him to the right. Just a nagging sensation that something very important is about to happen to him, something that needs his full attention. It’s like a tug somewhere in his chest, deep below his ribcage, that catches him completely off-guard. He carefully closes the copy of Anna Karenina he’s been debating over, places it back on the shelf, and like being physically guided by some phantom hand, turns to the right.

Just in time to see the most beautiful human being he’s ever seen in his entire life.

This guy (whom Johnny affectionately dubs World’s Most Beautiful Boy) is unearthly. Angelic. A thousand more descriptors that Johnny will never be able to voice, because there aren’t enough words in any language he knows to describe how a simple glance makes Johnny feel. Underneath a fluff of soft, rose coloured hair is a face so handsome it might as well be carved from marble; perfect skin and sharp cheekbones and dark, soulful eyes, lips obviously meant to be kissed they’re so pink. The stranger is dressed in a black turtleneck and tight black jeans, and it looks a bit like he’s about to go to an open mic poetry reading at The Drip but it somehow works for him. It’s unfair how much it works. 

For one shining, beautiful moment they make eye contact. Johnny smiles (because how can he not, looking at that face) and World’s Most Beautiful Boy smiles back, flashing dimples that make Johnny weak in the knees. Time seems to slow down and it feels like the ground falls out from underneath him, like Johnny’s entire existence is being rearranged and put back together in a way not quite familiar to him but welcome, waited for. Like reality has been shifted just slightly to the left, and he’s relearning everything he’s ever known. And then the man disappears past the stacks and Johnny goes into panic mode.

For far too long Johnny just stands there, frantically trying to make some sort of decision. His brain is working too quickly and trying to move in too many different directions, heart beating at hyperspeed at the idea of not knowing who that perfect, wonderful, lovely, perfect, perfect, perfect human being is. All he can do at first is pace up and down the aisle, trying to figure out a plan of action. He finishes way too many laps before he finally realizes he’s wasting time, feet carrying him away from Tolstoy and in the direction of his goddamn destiny.

It takes Johnny a few minutes and no small amount of panic to track down World’s Most Beautiful Boy, wandering in and out of the aisles while trying to look completely chill as he searches. At one point he thinks he sees a glimpse of him, but it happens so quickly that Johnny chalks it up to wishful thinking. He’s starting to feel desperate. Why does he feel so desperate? He’s never felt so completely uncool in his entire life, what is it about this complete stranger that’s making him go off of the deep end?

He finally finds World’s Most Beautiful Boy in the nonfiction section, eyes flickering over titles, deep in concentration. With a delicacy Johnny could write sonnets about he raises a hand, graceful and small with long fingers, to trace his fingertips over the spine a book. Johnny wonders what that hand would feel like against his cheek, how those fingers would fit intertwined with his own. He wants to hold that hand and kiss this complete stranger’s knuckles, to nuzzle into his palm, nibble at his wrist...

Shit. He has to focus. He’s only got one chance to do this right.

Casually stepping closer, Johnny lets his eyes flicker over as World’s Most Beautiful Boy takes a book down to examine it. This is his chance. Without being too obvious he steals a glance at the cover, casually tucking his hands into his pockets and taking his shot.

“Into gardening?”

Beautiful Boy looks over, offering a small grin. “I am, yeah. What about you?”

“Not really,” Johnny admits, not willing to get himself into one of those cliche romance movie predicaments where suddenly he has to build a hydroponic garden on the roof of his building to make his lie believable. “I’m looking for a book to read on a trip I’m taking, I’ve been wandering for ages trying to find something that catches my eye.”

Beautiful Boy hums, still smiling as he continues to meet Johnny’s eyes. It might be wishful thinking on Johnny’s part, but it almost seems like he doesn’t want to look away, either. “What are you into?”

This is good. This is great. They’re making conversation, a step in the right direction. They’re getting to know each other. “Honestly? A lot of true crime. And Harry Potter,” Johnny admits, smiling wide. He watches as Beautiful Boy turns back to the shelf before him, glancing at the books above. “What about you? Any light reading, or is it all about plants?”

“A lot of it is about plants,” Beautiful Boy says, laughing softly. His laughter sounds like wind chimes, like joy. Like birdsong gently singing you awake in the morning. Like a thousand other literary cliches. “Sometimes I like a good sweeping historical romance, but other than that it’s just plants.” He spots something he must want, because he pushes on his toes, arm stretched high in an attempt to grab it. When he still can’t reach he bounces a bit, but the book continues to elude him. “Hm. They usually have step stools around, right?” he asks, glancing up and down the aisle.

Johnny sees his chance and jumps to take it. “Oh, here. I can help. I have like, weirdly long arms.” He steps closer, close enough that he can feel the warmth from Beautiful Boy’s body and it makes his head spin. He reaches up, pointing. “This one?”

Beautiful Boy nods, clearly amused at Johnny wanting to play hero. Which means Johnny is being too obvious, but oh well. Beautiful Boy doesn’t seem put off, which is a good sign. Johnny reaches for the book, realizing belatedly that it’s a bit too high for even his ridiculous arm span. When he pushes on his toes he can brush his fingers against the spine, which means if he just-

Johnny jumps slightly, using his fingertips to knock the book towards him. This immediately causes a domino effect of terrible events that will change the course of Johnny’s life forever; first Beautiful Boy gasps, drawing Johnny’s attention towards him, and immediately as he does three books fall down at the same time. One sails right towards him in a perfect trajectory, just the right height and angle to smash against his nose, resulting in a sickening crunch and a sudden gush of blood that spurts down his mouth and along the front of his (once white, now red) button up.

“Oh shit,” he gasps, taking a step back so as not to get his blood all over the beautiful celestial being currently looking at him in alarm. “Shit, sorry, shit!” This would be how it goes. Try to find love, break your entire face open instead. 

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Beautiful Boy covers his mouth with his hands, eyes wide. “Oh wow. You’re...you’re bleeding a lot.”

Johnny nods, cupping his hands under his face in an attempt to save the library floor from the mess of blood rushing from his face. It’s like his nose is trying to recreate the elevator scene from the Shining. “Yes, that’s. That’s definitely a lot of blood.” He’s starting to feel a little woozy, a little hot at the back of his neck. There’s sweat beading on his forehead and black spots are dotting the corners of his eyes. “I think...I’m just going to...sit.”

The last thing Johnny sees is Beautiful Boy’s frightened expression as he hits the ground. 

-

“I’m actually surprised he’s been out this long, usually when people faint they’re only out for a few seconds.”

“Is he going to be okay? Should we take him to the hospital?”

“He’s starting to come to. Well take a look and decide from there if we need to call an ambulance.”

Johnny groans, eyes fluttering open to curious faces peering down at him. He’s freezing, the cold seemingly situated somewhere around his forehead and chest, and it takes him a long moment to realize it’s because there are cold packs sitting against his skin. And oh, oh wow, his face really hurts.

But none of that really matters right now, because Beautiful Boy is looking down at him with concern written all over his delicate features, like a being of divine mercy. 

“I fainted, didn’t I,” he groans, blinking hard.

“You fainted,” he gets by way of confirmation. On the other side of Beautiful Boy is the employee who works the front desk, a stern looking woman with deep set eyes and her hair pulled back into a tight bun. “Can you tell me your name?”

“Yeah. John Seo. Johnny,” he says, raising the arm to rub at his face. This turns out to be a mistake, as pain lances through his nose and straight into his brain. 

“Hey be careful,” Beautiful Boy says, taking Johnny’s hand and holding it firmly in his own. Instead of dropping it immediately he keeps their fingers twined together, skin soft and warm. 

Johnny looks up at him with something akin to worship on his face, eyes wide. “I didn’t bleed on you, did I?” he asks, the mere idea of sullying such perfection worse than the physical pain he’s experiencing. “What’s...what’s your name?”

The librarian scoffs, but Johnny pays her no mind. Because Beautiful Boy smiles sweetly, now holding Johnny’s hand in both of his own. “Jaehyun. My name’s Jaehyun,” he murmurs. “Thanks for trying to get that book down for me.”

“You should go to the hospital,” the librarian interjects firmly, opening a bottle of water and passing it to Johnny. He manages to take a few sips, even though tilting his head back to do so causes something to shift and throb in his head. “Your nose may be broken, they might want to set it. It looks...crooked.”

Johnny wants to immediately touch his face to check, but Jaehyun twines their fingers together and holds tight. “Yeah I’ll...call a cab,” he sighs, wishing desperately he hadn’t decided to bus to the library. “Just give me a second and I’ll get out of here…”

“You’re not calling a cab,” Jaehyun says, and Johnny turns to see his eyebrows knitted with concern. “I’ll drive you. You got hurt trying to help me, it’s the least I can do.”

And yeah, Johnny has never believed in love at first sight, but there it is. It’s not just Jaehyun’s pretty face; it’s his soft voice, his calming touch, how gentle and kind he seems. Johnny wants to turn him down to be polite, but that would mean he might miss the chance to spend more time with him. So he smiles crookedly, eyes bright. “I mean...if you’re sure.”

Jaehyun smiles, almost like he’s relieved that Johnny agreed. “I’m sure. Come on.”

Johnny stands on unsteady feet, but he barely has to manage three wobbling steps before a strong arm winds around his waist to support him. He shoots a dazed grin at Jaehyun, who smiles back shyly. “Here, I’ll help,” he murmurs, his hold never moving from Johnny’s waist as they head to the door. A few of the patrons look at them curiously as they go, but he can’t be bothered to be embarrassed. Not when the love of his life is this close, guiding Johnny to his car, keeping a careful eye on him.

Jaehyun drives a completely normal looking Sonata, which he unlocks with a remote before helping Johnny into the passenger seat. “Keep sipping that water,” he says, firm but sweet before walking around to his own side. As he turns the key in the ignition the car sputters a bit in protest before grumbling to life, and soon enough they’re on their way. Johnny buckles in, taking a look around the car; it’s clean but not eerily so, not in a way that makes you afraid to keep your shoes on. Some sort of charm dangles from the rearview mirror, a crystal that catches the light and scatters in across their skin in shards of rainbows. There’s an empty Starbucks cup in the drink holder and what appears to be a gym bag in the back. Johnny tucks all of this information away, set aside to be categorized later. 

“Is the pain bad?” Jaehyun asks, glancing over quickly. In the sunlight his hair takes on an even pinker tone, and Johnny wants to run his fingers through the silky looking strands. 

“It’s...enough,” Johnny hums, resting his head back against the seat. “I’d probably be whining more if you weren’t sitting next to me.”

Jaehyun looks surprised, a flush rising in his cheeks. “Oh? Why is that?”

“Well.” Johnny laughs, closing his eyes. He’s already embarrassed himself once today, he may as well go for broke. “My first attempt at impressing you backfired horribly, so I need to maintain some sort of chill.”

Jaehyun laughs, and relief floods Johnny’s system. “It didn’t go well, no,” Jaehyun says sweetly, shrugging one arm. “But I still find you pretty charming.”

“Sick, I’ll take charming,” Johnny says with a wide grin. “So like...who are you?”

The question makes both of them laugh this time. “I’m just...Jaehyun,” he says, cheeks still a bit red. “I’m nineteen, I study botany at SMU, I’m an older brother. I’m not really that interesting.”

“I don’t know, I think you’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met,” Johnny says. Uh oh. Pain is making him too honest. He tries to cover it up with more questions. “What sort of stuff are you into?”

Jaehyun hums softly, seeming to think the question over. His thoughtful face is just as pretty as every other expression he makes, gaze a bit distant as he focuses on the road. “I really am super into gardening,” he says, grinning. “And reading.” He pauses, giving another small, slightly awkward laugh. “It’s so weird describing yourself to people, like...what do you say?”

“Well...what sort of music do you like?” Johnny asks, watching as they pull into the hospital parking lot. Each speed bump sends another shot of pain to his nose, and a few times he has to sink his teeth into his lower lip to maintain his cool demeanor. Thankfully it doesn’t take long to find a spot to park, which gives Johnny hope that the waiting room won’t be insane. He's still wobbling a bit as he gets out of the car, but this time he doesn’t need support to stay on his feet. Unfortunately. “What movies do you watch?”

Jaehyun considers the questions as they head into the building in the direction of emergency. Johnny is thankful it’s a Tuesday morning; the corridors are relatively quiet, the only real sound the tap of their shoes against polished floors as they walk. “The Decemberists,” Jaehyun finally says. “Fleetwood Mac. Tegan and Sara. Movies are harder, I like horror movies that are a little sad and really beautiful, but now that I’m trying to think of an example I can’t,” he laughs. 

“I get what you’re saying. More Guillermo Del Toro than Eli Roth,” Johnny supplies, grinning when Jaehyun nods. “We’ll have to compare notes. I love horror, although I do love a good gore fest. That shitty remake of Nightmare on Elm Street is the first scary movie I saw in theatres.” He bites his lip as they arrive at the emergency waiting room, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I guess...this is my stop…”

For a moment he’s filled with dread at the idea of them going their separate ways, but Jaehyun immediately snorts and shakes his head. “I’m not leaving you alone. What if you end up waiting for four hours? You’d be so bored. And you’ll need a ride home. Come on, let’s get you checked in.”

Johnny feels a little bit star struck, but he manages to get his feet moving in the direction of triage. Immediately the woman behind the registration desk raises her eyebrows, examining him warily. He can’t imagine how he looks, he hasn’t seen his own reflection since the incident. A quick glance down confirms that yeah, he’s covered in blood, so he can’t imagine how the lower half of his face looks. “You look like you’ve had quite the day,” the registration nurse hums, turning to tap at her computer.

“It’s been...an adventure,” Johnny agrees, digging out his ID and insurance card. He slides them across the table, sitting down so she can hear him as she fills out his intake forms. Everything is fairly basic; full name, address, phone number, known allergies. 

“Emergency contact?”

Johnny starts at that. Back in the States he’d list his parents, but there’s not much they can do for him in Korea if something goes wrong. He supposes he could put Ten or Lucas or Mark...preferably Ten, who’s the closest any of them have gotten to being an actual adult. “I guess you can put-”

“-mine,” Jaehyun interjects, cheeks bright red when Johnny looks over at him with wide eyes. “I mean, it makes sense right? I’m here with you now, I’m your ride, if anything happens I’ll be nearby.”

Johnny’s stomach does this weird sort of flip. He grins, biting his lip. “Yeah. Yeah that makes total sense.”

Once the paperwork is done Johnny is given a little plastic bracelet that the intake nurse secures around his wrist, pointed in the direction of a room full of uncomfortable looking plastic chairs. He tucks his cards back in his wallet as he and Jaehyun make their way over. 

“The waiting room isn’t that busy,” Jaehyun says optimistically, choosing a seat close to a huge aquarium pressed against the wall. He takes a moment to watch the fish drift around before turning back to Johnny, his gaze zeroing in on the bracelet. He reaches out and turns it with delicate fingers until he can read Johnny’s birthday. “Oh your birthday is right before mine!” He seems delighted, eyes bright as he looks back up. “Valentine’s Day!”

The simple touch is thrilling, and Johnny is pretty sure he’s smiling like an idiot. “You would be born on Valentine’s day.”

Jaehyun smiles coyly. “Oh? And why is that?”

Johnny wasn’t intending on having to further explain his comment, especially since he blurted it out without any sort of consideration. His eyes go wide, heart beating off rhythm as he tries to clarify. “Because...you’re pretty?” he manages lamely, and wow, maybe that book knocked all the sense right out of him. He’s usually at least a little bit smoother than this. It must be alright though because Jaehyun smiles, stroking his fingertips lightly along the inside of Johnny’s wrist before pulling away. 

They sit for three hours. Patients trickle into the waiting room but very few trickle out, more and more seats filling as the day progresses. Johnny doesn’t mind. He and Jaehyun meander through easy conversation, even falling into the occasional comfortable silence where Johnny observes the people in the room and Jaehyun watches the fish. None of it feels forced. There’s no desperation to fill every silence, and when conversation does come it’s easy. 

“But what are your plans after you graduate?” They’re still waiting, though now they’ve got coffee and muffins from a little cafe Jaehyun tracked down inside the hospital. “What sort of journalist do you want to be?”

Johnny hums around a sip of coffee, shrugging. “I don’t really know,” he admits after swallowing. “Which should probably be scarier, but it’ll come to me. I just want to be doing something exciting. I want to be out in the field investigating, not shoved behind some desk.” It usually stresses him out more to talk about the future but this, like everything else with Jaehyun so far, seems easy. “Props to the people who can do it, but that’s not me.”

“You want danger,” Jaehyun grins, arching an eyebrow.

Johnny laughs. “I don’t know about danger. I’ll take excitement, though.” He finishes his coffee, tapping the empty cup against his knee. “You said you have a brother?”

Jaehyun smiles softly, nodding as he looks somewhere off in the distance. “Yeah. Jaemin. I’m actually his legal guardian, our parents died a few years ago and I petitioned to have him released into my care. It took a lot, but I managed to win my case. I couldn’t handle if he went with some random family right after losing his mom and dad.”

A tug of pain lurches in Johnny’s chest as he considers what that must feel like. He reaches over to take Jaehyun’s hand, squeezing lightly. “Sounds like it’s been tough. And I can’t imagine you were very old then, you’re...what, twenty?” 

“It has been. I’m twenty, I was just about to turn eighteen then. Luckily the paperwork and hearings took so long that I turned eighteen and we were able to add that to my case,” Jaehyun says with a small nod. “But some things are worth fighting for. We don’t have a ton of money, sometimes we want to murder each other, and I know nothing about parenting a thirteen year old, but there’s nothing I’d change.”

“John Seo?”

Johnny looks up as his name is called, a young man in deep blue scrubs standing in front of the double doors that lead to the emergency room. He takes a deep breath before looking over to Jaehyun. “One last chance to bail before you get to see me in one of those flimsy little hospital gowns.”

“Sounds cute,” Jaehyun says with a soft smile, grabbing his coffee and standing. “Come on.”

-

Johnny wakes up to a hand petting his hair, only a moment to register how nice that feels before the pain in his face comes back with a vengeance. He forces his eyes open, looking blearily around Jaehyun’s car before settling on Jaehyun himself. “Holy shit you think they’d give you something a little stronger after smacking your entire face back into place.” The sound of his own voice is ridiculous. There’s so much cotton packed into his sinus cavities that he sounds nasally and weird, and he’s hella grateful that Jaehyun has heard his normal voice. The cast along the bridge of his nose isn’t helping much either.

There’s a sympathetic coo as Jaehyun continues to pet his hair, which yeah, totally makes him feel a little better. “Come on. Let’s get you upstairs, I have something that should help.”

Johnny immediately unbuckles his seatbelt, though it’s taking time for his thoughts to slide back into place. “This...wait this isn’t my apartment building, where are we?”

For a moment Jaehyun looks almost guilty, like he’s been busted doing something wrong. “I took you back to my place,” he explains, biting his lip. “I really didn’t want to leave you alone on painkillers. I’m so sorry that was such a dumb assumption, I’ll take you to your-“

“No!” Johnny is grinning like an idiot, the pain forgotten as he sits a bit straighter. “No I’m glad you did. This is...great, I appreciate it.”

They make their way through the parking garage and into an elevator, Jaehyun pressing the button for the fourteenth floor. The building isn’t exactly high quality, even though Johnny feels a small twinge of guilt thinking as much. It’s probably all Jaehyun can afford, and Johnny hates that. He’s not exactly sure how the newfound love of his life supports himself, which only serves to remind him that they’re complete strangers drawn together by Johnny’s complete lack of chill. He doesn’t know this man at all. So why the hell does it feel like they’ve been together for centuries?

“You’re thinking too loud,” Jaehyun hums, a soft smile on his lips as he watches the digitized numbers above the door ascend. “What are you thinking about?”

Johnny chuckles, lifting a hand to massage the back of his neck. “It’s dumb.”

“I bet it’s not.”

Realizing that he’s not going to get out of talking about it, Johnny huffs out a breath. “I’m like...the king of taking things slow. Last time I dated a guy I waited two months before I even let him see my apartment. So this...thing? Whatever we’ve got going on between us? Is intense. It’s not like me. But it feels good?”

He can feel Jaehyun turn to look at him, feel bright and curious eyes fixed on his face, but he refuses to look over. He feels like letting Jaehyun look into his eyes would be the end of all of his secrets, his heart torn open and laid out for all to see. “And what have we got going on between us?” Jaehyun asks. There’s no sharpness to his words, nothing to make Johnny feel like he’s said the wrong thing. It’s more like he’s...probing, dipping a toe into the water before completely diving in. 

Johnny is saved having to answer by the ding of the elevator, the doors sliding open to reveal the fourteenth floor. Jaehyun leads the way, down down down the hall, all the way to the end before unlocking the door on the left.

“Home sweet home,” he says shyly, turning to look at Johnny with vulnerable eyes as he opens the door to his place. 

Johnny can’t help but gasp. His apartment is so alive. 

There are plants _everywhere_. They hang from the walls, they cluster in pots and vases on every flat surface, some even sit completely naked on counters and shelves. Some are so tiny that they almost seem hidden among the rest, some so large that they nearly touch the ceiling of the tiny space. Any spot that isn’t somehow taken over by greenery is instead filled with art and photos, giving the apartment a well loved, well lived in feeling that immediately makes Johnny feel comfortable and welcome. He hums softly, slipping out of his sneakers while he looks around. “Wow. I love this.”

Jaehyun is obviously delighted by that, seeming to relax at Johnny’s approval. “I’m glad. My home is your home so make yourself comfortable okay?”

“Okay.” Johnny shoots him a stupid grin, letting Jaehyun lead him over to the couch. He’s about to sit when he stops short, eyes wide. “No wait. I’ve still got blood all over me, I don’t want to get it on your stuff.”

Jaehyun hums and nods. “Come on, we’ll get you something clean to wear.” It’s all too easy for him to slip his fingers into Johnny’s, lacing them together before leading him deeper into the apartment. They end up in Jaehyun’s bedroom, a warm, comfortable space with a large bed in the centre and just as many plants and photos on the walls as the rest of the apartment. Behind the bed is a large mirror, where he finally gets his first look at himself since the incident.

“Holy shit,” he wheezes, moving to the foot of the bed to get a closer look. Yeah, his nose is bandaged, and yeah, it looks weird underneath because of the packing and the swelling, but in addition to the obvious he looks like an absolute horror show. Both of his eyes sport deep, intense bruises, and there’s still dried blood around his mouth that the nurses didn’t end up wiping away. “Oh my god, I’m a mess.”

“You look fine,” Jaehyun says softly, leaning in to kiss his cheek before opening a drawer in his dresser and digging through. Johnny has to resist the urge to touch his face, chasing the warmth of his lips. “We should be roughly the same size. You’re a little taller, but we’ll manage,” he murmurs to himself as he starts digging through his dresser. Johnny lets himself watch, admiring the profile of that soft, beautiful face as Jaehyun pinches his eyebrows in concentration. “Here we go.”

Johnny smiles, accepting the grey sweatpants and red hoodie, letting his fingertips brush Jaehyun’s as they’re passed over. He’s filled with a warm, comfortable sort of affection, soft and oddly domestic. “Have I thanked you yet for all you’re doing for me? Because you’ve done a lot.”

That seems to break Jaehyun’s calm exterior, even if just a bit. He blushes, ducking his head down and staring resolutely at the floor. “Oh. Well. You’re just...really sweet, and I couldn’t leave you to your own devices. Especially since you got hurt trying to help me.”

Johnny clutches the clean clothes to his chest. His lips feel so dry all of a sudden - his entire mouth does, really. His tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip, breath hitching a bit in his chest. “Do you think that...maybe it could be something else?”

“What do you mean?” Jaehyun asks, eyes darting up. He sounds as breathless as Johnny feels. 

None of this makes sense. Not a damn thing about it. For a split second Johnny tries to think clearly, to convince himself that he’s not in love with this random boy with pink hair and bright eyes and a cool as fuck apartment. He tries to remind himself that he’s sensible, that real relationships don’t work this way. But the moment he tries to talk himself out of the emotions filling his chest his gut twists at the mere idea that maybe this person isn’t the one.

“It’s like I said in the elevator,” he says softly, stepping closer. “This isn’t me. This isn’t how I do the whole romance thing. I’m careful. But…”

Jaehyun moves forward as well, arms hugged tight around himself as if he’s trying to keep himself together. “But?”

“But you have caught me completely off guard,” Johnny finishes, laughing weakly. “I...I can’t imagine turning around and walking away from you. Not now, not ever.” He can feel the way his face heats, can only imagine the way the red flush looks under his already bruise mottled skin. “That’s stupid, I’m embarrassing myself…”

A cool hand reaches towards him, softly cupping his cheek and guiding him to look up. Jaehyun is smiling at him, a bright, beautiful grin that seems to chase all of the shadows from the room. “It’s not stupid. I get it. I know, Johnny. It’s weird, it’s not normal, but...it’s there. We were supposed to meet. I’m…”

Johnny licks his lips again, eyes focused on the soft pink of Jaehyun’s mouth. “Yeah?”

“I’m supposed to be yours,” Jaehyun says, resolute.

And then they’re kissing, and of all the kisses Johnny’s ever given or received, this one tops them all. Jaehyun’s mouth is soft, his lips plush and sweet, just the right amount of pressure as they come together. Johnny drops the clothes, instead wrapping his arms around Jaehyun’s waist and pulling him close. Their bodies fit together so perfectly. From where their mouths meet to Jaehyun’s hands clutching his biceps to their feet just inches apart, it’s like pieces from two separate puzzles that somehow, magically, go together anyway.

And then their noses brush and Johnny yelps, stepping back.

“Oh god.” Jaehyun covers his mouth with his hands, eyes wide. “Okay. Okay okay. We’re calming down. You change, I’m going to get something from the kitchen. I think I can help you with the pain.”

“The painkillers did nothing,” Johnny groans, face throbbing as he ducks down to grab the outfit he’d dropped. “I don’t know what else to do.”

Jaehyun reaches out, once more touching Johnny’s cheek before pulling away. “I’ve got an idea. Change and lay down, I’ll only be a few minutes.”

And it’s just so damn easy to do as he’s told, to trust Jaehyun completely. Johnny strips out of the soiled clothing and into the sweats, immediately sighing at how soft and light they feel after being a bloody mess for so long. He balls up all of the gross stuff and tucks it in the corner for the moment; he’ll have to throw them away, but he can at least do that in his own apartment.

Clothes taken care of, he turns to the bed. Which is huge. Definitely a King, with a sturdy headboard with thick wooden slats running vertically across it. The bedding is white and fluffy and pristine, and Johnny is almost afraid to crawl in. Almost. But his body is just so damn tired and his face is on fire, so he wastes no time in pulling the comforter down and crawling in. And yeah, it’s absolute heaven. The mattress is soft and he sinks right into it, sighing heavily as some of the day’s tension leaves his body. 

It hadn’t really hit him yet just how tired he is. Laying here now, surrounded by warm, comfortable softness and without Jaehyun’s overwhelming beauty to distract him, he can finally feel the exhaustion that’s settled into his limbs. He yawns, closing his eyes and allowing himself a few deep breaths. He feels lighter. Softer, somehow. The pillow smells amazing, like whatever soft, flowery fragrance Jaehyun wears.

He must drift off. He comes to a short period of time later, Jaehyun’s soft fingers stroking his cheek.

“I won’t keep you awake long,” Jaehyun says, smiling softly. “I want you to drink this, it’ll help the swelling and the pain won’t be as bad in the morning.”

Johnny makes a soft noise of assent, forcing himself to sit up against the headboard. Jaehyun’s changed out of the black on black ensemble from earlier, now looking even softer and even lovelier in a white shirt and plaid pajama pants. Johnny wants to kiss him again. Instead a mug is pressed into his hand, steam rising from the fragrant liquid inside. “Whassis?” he asks, tongue sluggish with sleep. “Tea?”

“Tea,” Jaehyun agrees, stroking Johnny’s hair out of his eyes. “There’s a bunch of stuff in there to bring down swelling, and something to help you sleep.”

The tea is light and sweet, and Johnny easily takes a few sips despite the heat. “I have to ask. And don’t get me wrong, you’re stuck with me no matter what you say, but...are you one of those essential oil, herbal teas and crystals type of people? Like, again, I’m not going anywhere, I just need to reevaluate all of my belief systems if you are.”

Jaehyun laughs hard, grabbing a cloth from the side table that he must have brought in with the tea. His hands are careful as he starts to clean Johnny’s face, wiping the blood that’s dried around his mouth and down his chin. “You’re asking if I’m one of those weird girls from your high school who joined a pyramid scheme online and only contacts you because she now sells essential oils for way too much money?”

Johnny snorts a laugh, taking another sip. “Maybe.”

“No, I’m not part of a multi-level marketing scheme,” Jaehyun laughs. He lowers the cloth, eyes sparkling. “I’m a witch.”

They both laugh at that. Soon enough the mug of tea is empty and Johnny’s face is clean, a comfortable silence falling between them. Once again Johnny marvels at how easy things are with Jaehyun. How it feels like they’ve known each other for years, instead of having met just that morning after Johnny smashed his own face in trying to show off. The exhaustion tugging at his brain makes it easier to go with it, to just accept that this is the trajectory of their relationship and that there’s no point in fighting it.

He reaches up, sliding his hand through Jaehyun’s hair and down, along his cheek, over his shoulder, down the firm muscles of his arm to finally take his hand. “You’re going to sleep here, right? With me?”

For a long moment Jaehyun simply watches him, and Johnny worries that maybe he’s finally found a boundary to cross. But then Jaehyun is leaning in and kissing him once more, this time aware of the position of their faces and Johnny’s broken nose. It’s sweet, and a little bit shy, and something terrible and fond lurches deep in Johnny’s chest.

“Let me go turn off the lights,” Jaehyun says when he pulls away, that same lovely pink flush back in his cheeks. When he leaves he takes the empty mug and the cloth, padding out the door and down the hall.

Johnny immediately starts to drop off again, barely clinging to consciousness out of sheer desire to fall asleep with Jaehyun beside him. It takes every ounce of focus, but he manages to stay present until the door is opened once more and Jaehyun climbs into bed beside him.

“Do you need to be anywhere in the morning?” Jaehyun asks softly. He slides close, laying on his back before pulling Johnny into his arms. It feels right. Safe.

“I emailed my professors while we were at the hospital and told them I’d be taking the next two days off,” Johnny murmurs, trying to find a way to lay on Jaehyun’s chest that doesn’t irritate his bruises. He sighs, shaking his head. “No good. Spoon me?”

“Gladly,” Jaehyun says, laughing. They find a more comfortable position, Johnny curled in on himself with Jaehyun wrapped close around him. As soon as they’re settled Jaehyun’s hand finds its way into his hair again, stroking lightly through inky black strands. “Go to sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

Johnny makes a soft noise in response, unable to muster the energy needed to form words. He’s too comfortable. Jaehyun’s fingers feel incredible where they massage his scalp, the arm wrapped under him to circle his waist strong and steady. In no time he’s out cold, his pain momentarily forgotten as he drifts off to sleep.

\---

Johnny wakes to sunlight streaming in through the gauzy white curtains covering the window, warming his face and the small patch of bare skin where his sweater has ridden up. Somehow in the night he ended up on his back, Jaehyun pressed close against his side. He’s curled around Johnny, breath huffing over his cheek as he sleeps, just as perfect first thing in the morning as he is late at night. It’s a little bit ridiculous. He’s so pretty. Johnny can’t help but run his fingers through that fluffy pink hair, admiring his soft cheeks and the curve of his lips.

With a small sound Jaehyun opens his eyes. For a moment Johnny’s afraid to see confusion or regret, like yesterday was all some weird fever dream and Jaehyun won’t recognize the man holding him in his own bed. But Jaehyun immediately smiles, nose scrunching up as he moves forward to kiss Johnny sweetly.

“Morning,” he breathes, voice low from sleep. “How do you feel?”

And that’s when Johnny realizes; his face doesn’t hurt. Not even a little. He feels totally normal, if not a little stuffed up. “I feel...really good?” he says, face twisting in confusion. “How is that even…” 

That makes no sense whatsoever. He scrambles to his knees, checking himself out in the mirror above the bed. He looks...fine, almost. There’s still some swelling and light bruising under his eyes, and yeah, his nose is still crooked and his sinuses packed with gauze, but he looks so much better than he did last night.

Jaehyun props himself up on his elbow, and there’s that look of confusion that Johnny was waiting for. Only it’s not really confusion, it’s...fear. But no, that won’t do. Because whatever Jaehyun has to say, Johnny isn’t going anywhere. At this point there could be a body under the bed and a knife between the ribs with Johnny’s name on it and he would still go down willingly, happy to at least gaze at Jaehyun’s beauty while he dies. 

“Hey.” He sits back down, legs crossed. “Hey, what’s wrong? You’re worried about something. Listen, whatever you need to tell me, I’m not going to bolt. I’m here. I’m listening.”

Jaehyun takes a shuddering breath. “You’re going to think I’m insane.”

“Not likely,” Johnny argues. His brain is trying to pick through what it might be; kids? STI? Whatever, those aren’t the end of the world. “Or if I do I’ll go through some absolutely amazing mental gymnastics to justify why it’s okay because I’m so into you. Just tell me. I’ll stay.”

It’s a weird promise to make, but deep down he knows it’s true. Plus, the soft smile it earns him is totally worth it.

Jaehyun takes a deep breath. “Okay. Remember last night? When we were joking about essential oils and crystals and shit like that?” He waits for Johnny to nod slowly before continuing. “I made a joke about...about being a witch. But it’s not a joke. That’s...that’s really who I am. It’s what I do.”

“Huh?” It’s not poetry, but it’s all Johnny can manage.

“I..specialize in potions and charms and things like that,” Jaehyun says quickly. “It’s not some Harry Potter fantasy nonsense, I swear. It’s a lot of hard work and effort and I swear I’m not crazy.”

There’s this deep, profound understanding that Johnny ought to feel some sort of way about what he’s just been told. Because yes, that’s exactly the sort of thing a crazy person says to you before they try and offer you yoga and incense as a cure for your chronic depression. He doesn’t believe in witchcraft, or magic, or most of the new age bullshit people are trying to shill online these days. It’s the whole reason he’s pursuing his major in journalism; he believes in the truth, and he believes in doing whatever he must to find it.

But all of that doesn’t mesh with what he feels in his gut. He knows, deep down at his very core, that Jaehyun wouldn’t lie to him about this. So he takes a deep breath, nods slowly, and responds with a simple, “Okay.”

Jaehyun sits up, eyes wide. “Okay? That’s it?”

“I don’t...know what else to say to that,” Johnny says, laughing awkwardly as he’s pinned by Jaehyun’s wide-eyed stare. Is he supposed to give a speech here? “If that’s what you are, then that’s what you are.”

His straightforward response seems to only cause Jaehyun further confusion. He presses his fingertips to his lips, eyes wide as he continues to stare. Johnny has to shuffle closer before he seems to snap out of it. “It’s...it’s never that easy,” Jaehyun explains, cheeks flushed pink. “People always think I’m insane.”

Johnny frowns, reaching forward to take his hands and squeeze them gently in his own. “You’re not insane. You’re fucking awesome.” He shakes his head, managing a self-deprecating grin. “Honestly? If anyone else had told me that I’d ghost. Because yeah, that ought to be some crazy shit. But if you say it then I believe it’s true.”

Jaehyun nods, looking for all the world like he can barely swallow around all of the emotions building inside of him. “I can show you later, too. Prove it, so you know you’re not just jumping into this on blind faith.” 

Honestly, the fact that he’s not in searing pain from yesterday’s “incident” is proof enough. “You don’t have to prove shit,” Johnny says vehemently. “Don’t let anyone ever convince you that you do.”

Jaehyun’s eyes are wet and sparkling, hands trembling as he holds tight to Johnny’s. “No one has ever believed me like that. That’s...thank you, Johnny.”

This seems like a good enough time to go for broke. “You told me something crazy, can I tell you something crazy?” Johnny asks, feeling for all the world like he’s about to step off of the edge of a cliff and fling himself into the unknown. Once Jaehyun nods he braces himself, forcing his eyes to meet Jaehyun’s. “I think I’m in love with you.” Before Jaehyun can respond he soldiers on, forcing the words out before he can lose his nerve. “Shit, I know I am. And I know that’s insane, okay? We met yesterday, that’s...that’s not normal. It’s not normal for me, at least. But I know how I feel, and I know that this is something...something completely different than anything I’ve ever felt before. I’m supposed to be with you, Jaehyun. I can feel it.”

Jaehyun stares. Johnny doesn’t blame him because that is some grade A, level one-hundred creepy stalker bullshit, but it’s the truth. Still, he prays that it’s well received, that maybe this will work out in his favour. But the silence stretches on. He’s just about to look away, slink under the covers and pray for death, when Jaehyun cups Johnny’s face in his hands and holds fast.

“I love you too,” he says breathlessly. “I felt insane, this is so insane, and like, how many times can we say insane in one morning? But I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. I’m supposed to be yours, Johnny.”

Johnny can’t help the way he grins, almost triumphant. The nerves slide off of him, replaced by something warm and comfortable. “This is going to be a weird story to tell when people ask how we met.”

“I don’t even care,” Jaehyun laughs, reaching to wrap his arms around Johnny’s neck. “Come here.”

It’s much easier to kiss someone when your nose isn’t broken. Johnny falls into Jaehyun easily, wasting no time in getting his hands on slim hips and hauling Jaehyun into his lap. It starts off easy enough, calm almost. Their movements are slow and sweet and curious as they let themselves explore. That sweetness doesn’t last long though, and soon Johnny is licking into Jaehyun’s mouth, relishing every little soft noise that comes from the back of his throat.

“Your mouth is going to be the death of me,” Johnny gasps when he pulls away, nibbling and sucking at Jaehyun’s bottom lip, grinning at the gasp it earns him. “Your lips are so pretty and pink. I could kiss you forever.”

“I wouldn’t complain,” Jaehyun says, voice soft and dreamy as he strokes his fingers through Johnny’s hair. “You kiss like you mean it.”

“I do mean it,” Johnny rasps. In one smooth motion he flips them, laying Jaehyun onto the mattress and kissing him again. Their bodies slot together easily, legs tangled, hands grasping and fingers searching. He wastes no time in figuring out the spots that make Jaehyun squirm, like the thin skin on the inside of his elbows and the lines between his -holy fuck, super well defined - abs. Johnny tickles his fingers there, shivering when Jaehyun sighs. 

“Johnny,” Jaehyun murmurs, blinking slowly. Hearing his name so softly, so sweetly, makes his head spin. For a moment Johnny wonders if he’s dreaming, if there’s any way this could possibly be real. Jaehyun smiles like something out of a fairy tale, kisses like a romance novel. When he slides his hands through Johnny’s hair it’s like religion, sweet and soft and dire. Johnny can barely keep up, getting too lost in each new sensation before there’s another to take its place. 

He leans down to kiss softly along Jaehyun’s jaw, up further to nibble at the shell of his ear. They’ve started to thrust together lazily, legs twined like they’ve been made to complete each other, movements slow and breath speeding up. “Lube?” Johnny murmurs softly, lips brushing against tender skin. He grins when Jaehyun whines, hand reaching out blindly to dig through his bedside table. He returns with a small bottle that he presses into Johnny’s palm.

Johnny sits back, hooking his fingers under Jaehyun’s pants and slowly sliding them down. Jaehyun’s thighs are so perfectly creamy and pale, and Jesus fuck Johnny can’t wait to mark them up some day soon. Instead he focuses on Jaehyun’s cock, taking it in his hand and running his thumb gently under the head.

“Oh!” Jaehyun’s lips curl into a perfect little “o,” eyes fluttering shut. “What are you going to do?”

Darting down to steal a kiss from those pouting lips, Johnny takes his hand back to work his sweats down. Just enough, just over his thighs to free his own aching dick. “Just want to feel you,” he breathes, moving to straddle Jaehyun’s thighs. He flicks open the lube, coating his hand generously before wrapping it around both of their lengths, thrusting experimentally.

Jaehyun immediately gasps, eyes flying open to look at Johnny desperately. “Oh-oh my god. You’re big…”

“Fuck, I just want to make you feel good,” Johnny purrs, setting a steady pace. He braces his free hand next to Jaehyun’s head, leaning down to kiss him softly as he works them over. The noise is slick and a little obscene, but it’s nothing compared to the way Jaehyun is whimpering and gasping as he thrusts up into Johnny’s hand. Johnny could listen to nothing but those sweet sounds for the rest of his life, and god damn it he intends to. “Is it good for you, baby?”

“It’s so good,” Jaehyun breathes, eyebrows drawn together. He drags Johnny down, and they tangle together in messy, open mouthed kisses as their bodies move and thrust against each other. “Fuck Johnny, you make me feel so good.”

It’s not long before their movements become sloppier and their rhythm is lost, Jaehyun’s helpless noises becoming louder and louder. “Johnny please, I’m going to - I’m gonna -”

“Come on sweetheart, come for me,” Johnny begs, desperate in his need to see Jaehyun let go. “You’re so beautiful, let me see how good you feel.”

And Jaehyun, perfect, beautiful Jaehyun, does as he’s told. He throws his head back and tenses from head to toe, crying Johnny’s name as he lets go. Johnny doesn’t know where to look, doesn’t know where to focus; his eyes move from place to place, from Jaehyun’s parted lips to the long line of his neck to his cock spilling over his hand and his own length.

It’s that sight that puts him over the edge, curling in on himself as he adds to the mess on Jaehyun’s stomach. “Fuck fuck Jaehyun fuck!” He’s shivering, mindless, and all he can really focus on are the hands stroking his face, Jaehyun’s whispered words working him through it.

Once he’s calmed down Jaehyun leans up and kisses him sweetly, tenderly stroking Johnny’s hair back from his face. “You good?” he asks, soft smile so beautiful that Johnny can barely breathe. Johnny could see himself waking up next to that smile every morning for the rest of his life. And honestly, that thought doesn’t scare him as much as it should.

“I’m so good,” Johnny manages, collapsing next to Jaehyun but immediately cuddling him close. He ought to be more worried. This ought to make less sense. But for now all he really cares about is being as close as possible to the beautiful man tangled up in his arms, “normal” be damned.

There’s a comfortable silence where they simply lay together, enjoying the proximity of each other’s bodies, the warmth of their skin tangled together. Johnny presses a kiss to Jaehyun’s hair, grinning as it tickles the end of his nose. “Has it always been pink? Or do you do other colors?”

“Mm? Oh. It’s pretty new, but I like it pink,” Jaehyun says, hiding his smile against the curve of Johnny’s neck. “I let Jaemin pick the color when he got straight A’s last year and I got attached.”

“It’s beautiful,” Johnny says softly, hand sliding down the curve of Jaehyun’s hip. “Hey, I’m supposed to meet a bunch of my friends for drinks tomorrow. Want to come?”

Jaehyun looks up, smiling brightly. “Yeah, I’d like that. You think they’ll be cool with all of this?”

Johnny laughs at the question, head falling back. “Please, they’ve all done much worse then falling in love with someone they just met. Yuta’s got a restraining order against this Chinese exchange student that used to be in our physics class. They’ll love you.” He looks down, smile softening at the edge, melting into something sweet and fond. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jaehyun sighs, a bit starry eyed. They fall back into that same silence, half awake and basking in the sunlight that falls across their bodies. At some point they’ll have to figure out their next steps, what this all means. Johnny’s going to have to meet Jaehyun’s brother. But for now he’s happy to lie here, drifting in and out of consciousness, Jaehyun’s body slotted so perfectly against his.

**Author's Note:**

> [twt](https://twitter.com/alleywhomst)


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